Countdown to Christmas
by Falling to Fly
Summary: Christmas- the most joyful time of the year meant for friends and family. How will the boys of Big Time Rush and their friends spend it this year? Happy holidays, everyone!
1. Big Time Rush

**WHOA DECEMBER TOTALLY CREPT UP ON ME! I mean, I knew it was coming up. I've been ready for it since August. But I was sitting with my laptop trying to finish some stuff and ashleyjordan asked me if I was going to start posting on December 1****st**** and I looked at the calendar and it was like WHOA! Haha. I'M SO EXCITED FOR DECEMBER! And with this fic I'll have made it into the K+ section of this archive. IT'S A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE! Also: I wrote most of these chapters during November, and I'm not happy with how a lot of them turned out, although some of them I am. And some of the ones that I didn't I hate I wrote very, VERY recently while listening to the BTR Holiday Bundle, which was amazing and inspiring and everyone should listen to those songs. Just saying. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Big Time Rush. And even though I put them on my Christmas list, I doubt I'll ever get them. **

* * *

Christmas. It was one word, one holiday, one day out of three hundred and sixty four other. But in the city of Los Angeles it was one of the biggest, busiest times of the year. There was no snow; there were no white Christmases in the huge city. There were, however, decorations on every street corner. Paris was called the "City of Light" but clearly whoever had given it that name had never been to L.A. during the holiday season.

Kendall Knight, James Diamond, Carlos Garcia, and Logan Mitchell were driving through the city in the Big Time Rush Mobile, trying to weave through the holiday traffic. They had the top of the convertible up, because for once it was a cold outside. Classic Christmas songs were playing over the radio, and all four of them were singing along as loud as they could. "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Everywhere you go!" And it really was beginning to look like Christmas. Shops and other businesses all along the street had put up decorations in spirit of the holiday. There were countless lights, Christmas trees of all sizes, and cardboard cutouts of Santa Clause or his elves holding one of the business' products. It was a bit corny, but it was all in Christmas cheer, and the boys absolutely loved it.

December weather in L.A. was a lot different than it was in Minnesota. Back in their hometown, it had snowed almost constantly, and the temperatures rarely went above freezing. In Los Angeles, however, the winters were more like Minnesota summers. It wasn't hot, exactly, but it was pretty far from cold. Today was a slight exception, however, and the temperature had been in the mid 50's all day. Not cold for the boys, but for the city of L.A. it might as well have been freezing.

Logan drove carefully along the streets, trying to maneuver around the distressed, last minute Christmas shoppers. That was another difference between the two places; back in Minnesota there was little to no traffic, even in the holiday season. In Los Angeles, there was never a time when the streets weren't crowded. The boys loved that, too. It made the city seem so lively, and it was a welcome change from the quiet town that they had lived in back in Minnesota. The boys had been sitting still for the past half hour, trapped between cars and trucks on the streets, and the mall was only five minutes away.

Finally Logan swung into the parking lot of the mall. It took another twenty minutes to find a parking space, but all of the boys were in such a happy mood that they barely even noticed. It was only a few days until Christmas day, and they were more than ready for it. They were going to get presents at the mall, and then they would head back to the Palm Woods to get ready for their "social gathering." They had been looking forward to December all year, and it had finally arrived.

The minute Logan had parked the car Carlos jumped out, running for the entrance to the mall. The others followed, smiling at his excitement. The chilly air hit them, but they weren't bothered by it. Carlos stood by the doors, tapping his foot impatiently. "Come on!" he whined. The other boys laughed, but picked up their paces. Carlos' excitement was infectious, and none of them could wait to be inside the mall, in the Christmas atmosphere.

Carlos and James pushed open the doors and the boys walked in, their jaws dropping in awe. The mall looked even more spectacular than they could have ever imagined. Every single shop had a wreath above its doorway; there were dozens of Christmas trees, which shoppers seemed to keep almost running into; ribbons curled around every pole and every handrail; and every area that wasn't covered by those things was strung with lights. Some employees were even dressed up as elves. Whoever had been in charge of decorating had done an amazing job.

The boys stood off to the side, looking around them in a daze. In the back of their minds they were trying to figure out where to go. They had to get gifts for their friends and family, but they also had to get presents for each other. They would split up at one point, and they wanted to make sure that they went to the right places.

"Remember, don't spend more than a few dollars on each other," Kendall reminded them. This was a tradition they had picked up back in Minnesota. One Christmas, recently after Kendall's parents had gotten divorced, money had been tight for the Knights. Although the blond wouldn't admit it, he hadn't had enough money to buy good gifts for his friends. So, to save him from embarrassment, his friends had decided that they wouldn't spend much money on each other's presents. Even though the next year Kendall's family had been much better off, the idea had stuck. So now, even though they all had a ton of money from Big Time Rush, they were only going to spend a few dollars on each other. It was the thought that counted, anyway.

The others nodded. Kendall continued on. "How about we get the gifts for our friends at the Palm Woods first and then we can get them for each other?" The boys nodded their agreement and made their way through the mall, looking through all the windows.

* * *

Kendall, James, Carlos, and Logan held their shopping bags. Now all they had to do was get presents for each other. Logan glanced down at his watch. "It's 1:30," he announced. "Let's meet at the food court in an hour so that we'll have time to get back to the Palm Woods and set up." His friends nodded and each turned in a different direction. "Remember, don't spend a lot!" Kendall called after them, but they were already gone. The blond turned back to the task at hand and began to wander around the mall, looking for the perfect gifts for his friends.

* * *

**So the chapters probably won't be as long as they normally are. In fact, I know they won't be. There will be fifteen chapters, instead of the original twenty five I was planning. You guys probably wouldn't have even liked the ones I cut out, so it's not a big deal. And if I get any info about Minnesota or L.A. wrong, you can blame Wikipedia, because that's where I'm getting all my information. Also, at the end of every chapter I'm going to have "Merry Christmas" in another language. I just thought it'd be a fun little side thing. :) So. God Jul! (****Norwegian)**


	2. Kendall

**Do you guys want to know how ready I am for Christmas? I've been excited for it since August. My friend and I started making our Christmas lists in September. For a Spanish project, another one of my friends and I made it Christmas themed, in October. I added a Christmas station to my Pandora, put every Christmas song I could find on my iPod, and my family and I started decorating out house for the holidays before Thanksgiving. Yeah. Get excited. :) Also. I think that everyone should go on iTunes and get the song 'Wishlist' by Neon Trees. It's free, and come on you guys. Neon Trees and Christmas. It's almost as good as BTR and Christmas. :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Big Time Rush.**

* * *

Kendall ran in the opposite direction of his friends, pushing through the seemingly endless crowd. There were so many stores; it was incredible that so many different businesses could fit into one building, all of them trying to sell their products to overwhelmed shoppers like himself. But he was able to scratch a lot of the stores off the list, since the majority of them were high end, and cost a ton of money. Kendall continued to make his way through the mall, ducking and weaving so that he didn't run into all of the other shoppers.

During his childhood, Kendall had always loved Christmas. Some of his earliest memories were of himself sitting in front of a Christmas tree, tearing open the presents that Santa Clause had left him the night before. He could remember Katie, when she wasn't even a year old, looking around at all the new toys that their mom had helped her open in confusion, while Mr. Knight stood in the background with his camcorder. For the first five years of his life, the month of December had always been Kendall's favorite time of the year. But the year after his fifth birthday, everything had changed.

Kendall didn't understand why; even now, when he was a lot more mature and could comprehend things a lot more clearly than he had back then, he would never be able to completely understand why his parents had decided they needed to be apart, and that Daniel Knight would be the parent that would only get his children for a few months of the year. It was decided that he would get them for one month of the summer, one week of Christmas break, and half a week during the Thanksgiving holidays. He promised Kendall that he still wanted to be a part of his and Katie's lives, and that even though he wasn't living with them anymore, that he still loved both of his kids with all of his heart. And Kendall had believed him, like any young child would believe their father. But as the years wore on, Daniel made less and less of an appearance in his kids' lives. Finally he had just stopped visiting them completely.

The Knights had gotten their divorce in early November, only a few months after Kendall's birthday. Kendall had been woken up nearly every night for the past few months by his parents screaming and fighting with each other in their room across the hall, or in the living room downstairs. That one fateful November day would forever be engraved in Kendall's mind. That was the day that Kendall had first started to lose his father.

Kendall had been so miserable and confused over the next month. He couldn't make his mind understand why his dad, his role model, was leaving to live somewhere else, and right before Christmas, too. He'd only been able to see his father for a day during December, because he was still settling into his new apartment and he needed to "organize himself" before he could have his kids stay with him. He'd sent a check home with them, and Mrs. Knight was trying her hardest to earn some money to give her kids a nice, normal Christmas, but she had only had her job for a few weeks, and waitresses didn't exactly make a ton of money.

His friends, of course, had known that something bad had happened to Kendall's parents, but they weren't exactly sure what. All they knew was that there friend was really sad, and it was almost Christmas time. James' parents had told him not to expect a big present from Kendall, because this year he wouldn't be able to get anything special like he usually did. When he had talked to Carlos and Logan about this later, they had decided that if Kendall wasn't able to have a normal Christmas that they shouldn't either. And so a tradition had been born.

Logan, James, and Carlos had to be the best friends in the entire world. Every moment of free time they had was spent with Kendall. The boys did everything they could think of to cheer up the blond: hockey, Christmas caroling, and countless snowball wars. The distraction had actually been good for Kendall, and the holidays were a lot less miserable than they would have been is Kendall had different friends. Over the next few years things had gotten easier for the Knights, but Christmas had always been the hardest time. But with his friends at his side, Kendall had gotten through it.

As Kendall made his way through the mall, he smiled to himself. He truly had the greatest friends in the world. They had been with him through thick and thin, and they had stayed right by his side when most other people would have walked out. He didn't know what he'd done to deserve them, because no one deserved to have such caring brothers. Nothing could tear them apart. There bond was truly unbreakable.

Kendall would be forever grateful for his friends. They had gotten him through the hardest times in his life, they had supported him in everything they had done, and he knew that they would never turn their backs on him. They had an undying loyalty, an unbelievable amount of compassion and care for each other, and an unbreakable bond. He was so glad that Gustavo had allowed them all to come to L.A. together; there was no telling what would have happened to him if he'd been alone in the huge city. Even though sometimes it looked like he was the leader of the group, and the one that held everything together, his friends were really the ones that kept him grounded. He needed them, and they needed him.

Kendall shook himself out of his trip down memory lane, looking around the mall. Without realizing it, he had wandered to the complete other end of the mall. Glancing down at his cell phone, he saw that he only had forty five minutes left. Taking a deep breath, Kendall threw himself back into the crowd, fighting his way through the mall to find gifts for his friends. He felt a new lightness in his chest, and his hands were trembling with excitement. Christmas truly was the most magical time of the year.

* * *

**I told you these would be shorter than my chapters usually are, but wow. This was ridiculous. And this was more background information than anything, wasn't it? My bad. My Creative Brain suffered a relapse in angst when I was writing this chapter, so I put most of it in one thing, and the tiny bit of leftovers here. Haha. Sorry. :) But the next chapter will be happier, ****because it's going to be Carlos. And when isn't anything that has to do with Carlos happy? Also, since I didn't get 25 chapters for the 25 days of Christmas, I've come up with a plan to space the chapters out so that I can get this to go until the 25th. I'm going to post all of the boys' chapters one day after the other, then after that it'll be every other day like I usually do, and then the last two will be one day after the other again. So. ****Linksmu Kaledu! (****Lithuanian)**


	3. Carlos

**It's late at night (or early in the morning, if you prefer it that way) and I need to go to sleep, but I can't. I'm not tired. :( So, since I already had this done, I figured, why not post it a few hours earlier? So here it is. Also: on my poll you guys all voted for angst, which is fantastic to me. I love you guys. -sniff- And I feel the same way. I love angst so much. The next few things I have planned are all filled with angst (like, that's all they are is pure angst). But I also don't know if I can wait until this is over to not do anything angsty. So. If you guys have anything you want to see (as a oneshot, for any of the boys) let me know. Otherwise, I have a few ideas that could work. :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Big Time Rush. **

* * *

Before Kendall was even done speaking Carlos was halfway across the mall. Stores flashed by as he ran past them, glancing through their windows. In his excitement to find the perfect gifts for his friends, he tripped over his own feet, flying forward. His arms swung wildly as he tried to catch himself, and just when he thought he was going to tip over and fall to the ground, he found his footing. Carlos looked around, checking to see if anyone had seen him. An elderly couple was looking at him strangely, but other than no one seemed to have noticed. He flashed the old people an innocent smile, laughing at the way they raised their eyebrows, and then took off again.

He'd only been walking for five minutes when he decided that the mall was trying to drive all of its customers insane. There were so many stores, and there was no way he would get to all them in an hour. He didn't even know what he wanted to get his friends in the first place. With a sigh, Carlos began to walk around aimlessly. This was going to be harder than he thought.

It was incredibly hard to see through the throngs of people. It was almost like everyone was _trying _to get in his way, blocking his view of all the shop windows. He couldn't see a thing, and he had never been the type of person to push people out of the way; his mother had taught him that it was impolite. At times like this, though, it was really inconvenient, and it was taking all of the Latino's willpower not to shove people out of the way.

The boy carefully made his way through the crowd, jumping and weaving to avoid running into all the people. At this rate he was never going to get anything done. Fighting his way through the seemingly never ending swarm of shoppers, finally stumbling to the side, hugging the wall to avoid getting trampled. He threw himself into the nearest store, looking around to see where he had wound up.

It was a huge toy store. It wasn't as huge and impressive as the ones that they had in New York City and Chicago, but compared to the stores that had been back in Minnesota, it was the most amazing store Carlos had ever seen. He took a step forward, looking around him in wonder. The little kid in him was threatening to take over, and it was taking all of his willpower not to run forward and tear every toy from their shelf. The store was huge, and toys of all sorts lined every inch of the walls, making the dozens of smaller shelves around them look like nothing.

"Hey, kid!" Carlos looked up instinctively and saw one of the mall's employees walking towards him. The boy glanced around, trying to see who the guy was talking to. There was no one else around. The man made his way over, his face a mask of anger. Carlos looked like a deer in the headlights; had he done something wrong? He took a step back as the worker stalked up to him, and when he got close enough Carlos could see the word "manager" on his nametag. "What do you think you're doing here!" the man yelled, his face red as he stopped in front of the boy.

Carlos opened his mouth to respond, then closed it again in confusion. "Wha-" The manager interrupted him, waving his arms wildly. "You were supposed to be at your shift half an hour ago! What do you think I'm paying you for?" The singer watched the man helplessly, trying to figure out how he was supposed to respond. "I'm sorry, what?"

The man's face was nearly purple with rage. "Your job, deadbeat! You're late! What, you thought you wouldn't get caught? Do you think I'm stupid? Now go get your costume and get back to work! And don't let this happen again, or you'll be out of here faster than you can say 'Christmas.' Got it?" Carlos' eyes were wide. Costume? "I'm sorry, sir, but I think there's been a misunderstanding. I don't work for you…"

The manager looked at him for a full minute before his face returned to its normal color, a frown replacing his earlier glare. "You… aren't an elf?" Carlos' mouth dropped open. "An _elf_?" The man nodded, suddenly looking a lot less sure of himself. Carlos shook his head wildly. "No, I don't even work here. I was just coming to get some presents for my friends and- Really? An elf?"

The man didn't say anything for a few seconds. "Sorry… I thought you were an employee. You know, because of your… Well, you're the right height and…" Carlos' eyes widened as he realized what he was saying. "Oh, come on! I'm not _that _short! Am I?" The man's face was red again, but this time he was blushing as he shook his head. "Oh no, of course not, sir! You have my sincerest apologies. It was an honest mistake, I assure you!"

Carlos narrowed his eyes at him, frowning as he tried to figure out what he was supposed to say. Fortunately for the manager, he'd never been one to stay angry for very long. His irritation melted away, and it was replaced by a smile. "It's all good, man. In fact, that would be so cool if I could be an elf! Like, getting to make toys and meet Santa Clause, the _real _Santa Clause… Man, that would be _awesome_!"

The manager looked at a loss for words. "I… Yeah, that would be… Awesome." Carlos' grin never wavered. "Yeah," he sighed, lost in his own little daydream. He glanced down at his watch and jumped up. "Oh man! I need to go!" It was already 2:00; he had half an hour left, and he hadn't even started yet. Carlos rushed out of the store, waving back at the bewildered manager. "Merry Christmas!" he called back. The Latino continued to run through the mall, thoughts of being an elf and finding the perfect gifts for his friends.

* * *

**Carlos could totally be an elf. I love him. :) But look at this! Another short, lame chapter. Shorter than the last one. :( But the next one is longer, if not still a little too short for my liking. Anyway, you all know that I didn't really like this chapter, but what about you guys? What did you all think? Please review! Merry Keshmish! (****Navajo)**  



	4. James

**DID YOU GUYS SEE BIG TIME CHRISTMAS LAST NIGHT? OH MY GOD IT WAS FANTASTIC. And really funny, because a lot of the things that were in it show up in this fic somewhere at one point. Like, did you see that Carlos was dressed up as an elf? With the other boys, but still. And then Logan... Well, you'll see. And the boys went last minute Christmas shopping. And other things. It was kind of weird. Maybe I'm psychic. :) And I don't want to sound mean or anything, but I like All I Want For Christmas better WITHOUT Miranda Cosgrove. Sorry Mirandites. But the 12 Days of Christmas with Snoop Dog was very cool. And did you see Yardsquirrel James' hair? Oh man. He looked so girly. :) But enough of my obessing; just know that I loved Big Time Christmas. It was beautiful. -sniff- Anyway: -sigh- James is my favorite character on the show, and this chapter gave me trouble writing because I couldn't think of how to write it. So if it's really lame… You have my reason. -cough EXCUSE cough-**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Big Time Rush. **

* * *

James skirted around people in the crowd, desperately trying to avoid running into someone. The last time he had gone Christmas shopping had been in Minnesota, and it had ended with him getting chased by a bunch of crazy women who had been trying to get all their Christmas shopping done and, when they recognized him, the girls' hockey team. It had taken nearly a month for his bruises to go away, and it was definitely an experience that he didn't care to repeat, especially since the people of Los Angeles were more likely to leave him dead than just a little beat up.

James glanced through all the windows. There were so many stores, so many things that were screaming "BUY ME!" and he wasn't sure what to choose. It was going to be like finding a needle in a haystack; a huge, seemingly never ending, crowded haystack. And he had no idea where to start.

The mall they had chosen to go to just so happened to be one of the ones that had an ice rink in the middle of it. From where James was standing he could see kids, teens, and adults on the ice, skating around. Some of them looked like old pros, doing spins and skating backwards, while some of them looked like they would topple over at any minute. It took every bit of his willpower not to rent a pair of skates and join them all. Kendall might have been the one who was known for his love of hockey, but James and the others loved it just as much.

The first time James had gone skating had been with his older brother, Derek. That was where he had met Kendall, Carlos, and Logan for the first time, and James would never forget that day. He'd only been five, but in Minnesota that was a pretty late age to be just learning how to skate. He'd just moved from New York, though, and although it snowed there a lot, there weren't as many places to go skating. So after many hours of falling and getting back up and then falling again, not to mention the many tears, James had finally gotten the hang of it, thanks to his brother. As they'd been leaving the rink they'd run into Carlos, Logan, and Kendall, who had all convinced him to join the junior hockey league. Derek had only been eleven at the time, but whether or not he'd realized it, he was responsible for James' meeting his lifelong friends.

Derek had changed James' life in more ways than one. Not only was he the one who had taught James to skate, but he was also the one who taught him how to talk to girls, and how to look "cool" without losing himself along the way. It was partly his fault that James was so obsessed with his appearance, because he'd always made a big deal about making his little brother look the best he could. As soon as his parents had decided that James was old enough, Derek had taken his little brother to the nearest James and started training him, building up his muscle. But throughout all this he'd made sure that James didn't turn into the kind of person that was only in it for himself, and that he never turned his back on his friends. He didn't want his little brother to turn into one of _those _guys.

When James had entered the seventh grade Derek had gone off to college, to become an elementary teacher of all things. He, Mr. Popular, the quarterback, the guy who was so obsessed with looking good, wanted to teach little eight and nine year olds. But that was just the kind of guy Derek was. Pretty boy jock on the outside, sensitive, caring teacher on the inside. And so much of him had rubbed off on James that it was almost scary.

Without realizing it, James had sat down on a bench near the ice rink, watching people skate and getting lost in memories. He didn't know how long he'd been sitting there, but he figured it couldn't have been more than a few minutes. He glanced down at his phone to see what time it was, but just as the screen lit up he felt something in his hair, tugging gently. Instantly he jumped up and spun around, and before he could stop himself he'd yelled, "Don't touch the hair!"

His eyes widened as he saw who was standing behind him. It was a little girl, probably no older than four or five, and as James watched in horror her eyes filled with tears and her lip began to quiver. "Oh! Don't cry, don't cry! It's okay, I'm sorry! Please don't cry!" Unconsciously he ran a hand over his hair, something he did when he was distressed. "I'm sorry I yelled, I didn't mean to! Don't cry!" he begged again, watching the little girl desperately.

Her lip stopped shaking, but there were still tears in her eyes. "I can't find my mommy!" she wailed. James stopped and looked at her, surprised. Was that why she was crying? As if to answer him, the little girl began to cry again, tears leaking out of her eyes. Instantly James began to panic. Even though his brother had always been good with kids, that had been one thing that James hadn't learned from him. He'd never been one of those people who always seemed to know what to do to make a crying child smile. He looked around desperately, as though he thought he would be able to find the little girl's mother in the crowd.

Turning back to the girl, James ran a hand through his hair again. "Okay, okay, calm down. I'll help you find your mommy." The girl stopped crying and looked up at him with big eyes. "Really?" she asked, staring up at him hopefully. He couldn't help but laugh at how innocent she looked and nodded. "You bet. I'm sure she's looking for you, too. What's your name?" The girl sniffled as she and James stood up, grabbing his hand. "Mary," she said shyly.

James nodded. "Hi, Mary. I'm James. We'll find your mom, don't worry. If you see her, just tell me, okay?" Mary nodded, gripping his hand tighter. "Good. I'm going to take you over to some of the nice people who work here and see if they've seen her. They'll be able to help us." Mary nodded again and allowed James to lead her towards the skate rental place.

The employee, who was dressed up as an elf, looked up and smiled cheerfully as James and Mary approached. "Hello there! What size do you need?" James blinked, and it took him a few seconds for him to figure out that the guy thought that they needed skates. "Oh no, we just need some help. See, this little girl, Mary, got separated from her mom, and we-" He broke off as Mary pulled her hand out of his, running. "Mommy!" she squealed, throwing herself into the arms of a panicked looking woman who was standing a few feet away.

"Mary!" the woman gasped, picking up her daughter. Mother and daughter hugged each other tightly. Mary was smiling, but her mother looked like she was ready to collapse. "Where were you? You had your father and I worried sick!" At this Mary shrunk back, looking guilty. "I'm sorry, Mommy. I didn't mean to. But I found you! And that nice boy was helping me! He said that that elf over there would help me find you, and he was right!" Mary's mother looked up and seemed to notice James for the first time. "Oh. Hello there."

James blushed. "Hi, uh… I'm glad you found your daughter. She was worried," he said, laughing nervously. The woman looked at him, sizing him up, and finally she smiled. "I'm sure she was. Thank you so much for your help. There's no telling how long it would have taken us to find her in this mall. I can't thank you enough."

James blushed, smiling politely at her. "It was no trouble, ma'am. I'm just glad you found each other." It was true; it felt nice knowing that he'd helped someone. Was this how Derek felt? If it was, James could definitely see why he wanted to be a teacher for a living. He glanced down at his phone, checking the time. His eyes widened slightly and he slipped his phone back into his pocket, looking up at Mary and her mother apologetically. "Well, I really need to get going. It was nice meeting you!"

Mary's mother nodded and smiled. "Thanks again for your help!" she called after him. He glanced back at the two and waived, before he had to turn all his attention on maneuvering through the crowd. From somewhere behind him he heard Mary call out, "Merry Christmas, James!" Smiling to himself, James his way further into the mall, his spirits high. It was definitely going to be a Merry Christmas.

* * *

**Geez. I think I talked more about Derek than I did James. After this is over, you guys have to make sure that I never mix fluff and OCs again. I'm not sure if there's a mall in L.A. like the one I'm describing. I know for a fact that there's one that has an ice rink inside it, but I've never been to it, so I have no idea what it's like. But I've been to a couple of malls with ice rinks in them, and they are SO COOL. If you guys ever have the chance you should check one out. ****Natale hilare et Annum Faustum! (****Navajo)**


	5. Logan

**So here's Logan's chapter. Last of the individual boys, but most definitely not least! :) But just so you all know, this was the second chapter that I wrote for this (I didn't write them in order) and it was horribly stupid and you don't even want to know how much I hated it. So I went back and rewrote it, and if this totally kills, just know that the original draft was sososo much worse. So anyway, let's get on with it!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Big Time Rush**

* * *

Logan watched as his friends each sprinted off in a different direction, smiling as Carlos stumbled and nearly fell in his haste. Christmas always seemed to get the Latino in his most excited state. Sugar rush Carlos had nothing on Christmas time Carlos. Not that Logan could blame him; the holidays were always the happiest, most energized time of the year. Even Logan, who was always the calm, logical one of the group, couldn't help but jump up and down when December rolled around.

Logan loved Christmas time. Back in Minnesota, his family had always spent Christmas with each other. The Mitchells didn't have all of their relatives fly in like most people, and since Logan was an only child that meant that Christmases were usually spent with just his mom and dad. But that was perfectly fine with him. Since he'd usually spent most of his time running around with James, Carlos, and Kendall back in their hometown, Christmas was a great time for Logan to kick back and relax with his parents, who were normally busy with work. Christmas was the time of year when Logan felt closest to his parents. Even though he was now in Los Angeles, thousands of miles away from them, the good feelings carried over.

Logan looked through the windows of all the different stores. The mall was huge and a little bit overwhelming, especially at this time of year. Logan looked around, taking in the bustling crowds, and he smiled to himself. Although many of the adults seemed a little frazzled by all the Christmas hullaballoo, every child had a huge smile on his or her face, and it was almost as though Christmas day had already come. All of the happiness was exactly why Logan loved the holidays so much.

Turning his attention back to the task at hand, Logan began looking for the perfect presents for his friends. Since they had all agreed not to spend too much on each other he was able to rule out a lot of the stores. But nothing was really catching his eye.

The tallest boy had insisted that he didn't want any Cuda products this year, claiming that he had way too much already and that he was going for a more natural look. Carlos… Carlos would be happy with anything, because to him a present was a present, and that was all that mattered. And Kendall wouldn't really care what he got, as long as it wasn't an eyebrow comb like the last year. Finally Logan decided that he would just get Carlos the Encyclopedia of Helmets, something he'd wanted since he'd first started wearing his helmet, a Hockey Rules and Regulations Guide for Kendall, since his copy was worn out after so many years of use, and some Pop Tiger magazines for James, because he still claimed that there were some "articles for guys, too."

Logan went into the little bookstore that the mall had, heading for the sports section. Carlos and Kendall's gifts were easy enough to find, and with the two books tucked under his arm Logan headed for the magazine section. When he got there he saw a little old lady with a cane, probably looking for gifts for her grandchildren. Logan smiled at her politely, then began looking the magazine. He was in luck; there was only one Pop Tiger left. He bent down, reaching for the magazine, but before his hand could touch it something hard slammed down on his fingers.

"Ow!" Logan looked up to see the old woman glaring at him. "I wanted that magazine," she said simply, ignoring the shocked and confused look he was giving her. Logan stared at her, his mouth hanging open. "What? But I found it first!" If the woman had been polite and looked even remotely sorry for hitting him, he probably would have backed off and let her take it. But she didn't. Instead, she glared at him and said, "Well, I need it for my granddaughter, so tough luck." Logan gaped at her. Was this _really _happening? Logan stared at her for a few more seconds, then snatched the magazine, running off in the direction of the register.

He practically threw the items at the cashier, quickly pulling out a few bills. The bewildered cashier quickly scanned them and put them in a plastic bag, handing it to Logan. "Your total is-" He cut off when the old woman came up, swinging her cane at Logan's head. "Give me that!" she ordered. Logan threw up his hands, trying to protect himself from the blows. "No!" he yelled at her. He threw all the money in his hand at the cashier and grabbed his bag, making a mad dash for the exit. "Keep the change!" he called over his shoulder. He ran out of the store, skirting around the many crowds in the mall until he was sure that the old woman wasn't following him. When he finally stopped he quickly composed himself, then began walking as if nothing had happened.

Now that he had all three of his friends' gifts purchased, Logan began to make his way toward the food court, where they had all agreed to meet.

Logan found the others already sitting at a table, talking casually. Each had their own bags, and Kendall and James had discreetly hidden them from view under a chair and the table. Carlos, however, had his presents behind his back, and one hand was on them at all times. Logan shook his head, holding back a laugh. Carlos had always been religious about people not knowing what they were getting until it was given to them. He headed over to where they were sitting, pulling up a chair. His friends grinned at them, their eyes sparking with excitement. "How'd it go?" Kendall asked.

Logan gave him a small smile. "Good," he said, nodding. "Although I did have to fight off an old lady at one point." Kendall's eyes widened while James and Carlos burst into laughter. Logan rolled his eyes and stood up, grabbing his shopping bags. "Ready?"

The other boys got to their feet and began to make their way towards the exit. As they passed a small closet that the mall kept spare Christmas decorations, Carlos stopped, holding his arms out. Kendall, James, and Logan looked at him curiously. "What's up?" James asked. Wordlessly Carlos pointed at something in the closet, a huge, excited smile on his face. The others looked to where he was pointing. Kendall and James raised their eyebrows while Logan began shaking his head. "No."

Carlos looked at him, pouting. "But why not, Logie? Come on, we have to spread the Christmas cheer! What's the worst that could happen?" Logan looked at him, frowning. He wasn't exactly sure what would happen, and that was why he was so hesitant. But Carlos was giving him such a pathetic, childish look that Logan couldn't help it when he answered. "Fine."

Carlos cheered and grabbed one of the closest boxes, waiting impatiently for the others to follow his lead. When they'd finally each gotten their own box, the Latino looked around, deep in thought. "Hm… Now where to use them?" The four looked around the mall, trying to find the best place for their little "gift." Logan scanned the area, looking for the best location. Finally his eyes landed on the perfect place, and he pointed. If they were going to do this, they might as well make it count. "There."

The others followed his gaze and Carlos started jumping up and down. "That's perfect!" he cried, clapping a hand on Logan's shoulder. The other boy shook his head, but he was laughing.

The boys made their way over to the location Logan had pointed out. _Here comes Big Time Rush._

* * *

**Lame ending? Lame gifts? Lame everything? I know and agree. ****For some reason I was having a really hard time deciding what would happen to Logan and I don't know. He just seems like the one who'd be most likely to get attacked by an old lady. Him or James. And just so you know, there really is such a thing as an eyebrow comb. Yeah. They're really stupid, but never have I been so tempted to send something to Kendall Schmidt. :) So. Anyone wondering what Carlos' plan was? Next chapter, I promise! Speaking of next chapter, it'll be a minor character. But the boys will still be in it. ****Maligayang Pasko!** (**Philippines)**


	6. Marcos del Posey

**A year ago my life was changed forever. This was one of the most memorable, most sickening, most heartwrenching, and ultimately, the most peace giving day in my entire life. The world lost a beautiful girl on this day, and I hope that she and Jesus are looking down on us and smiling. This is for you, McKenzie. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Big Time Rush. Anyone want to give me them for Christmas? Please? :)**

* * *

Marcos gazed around the giant mall, taking in all the Christmas decorations. Like all malls across the nation, there were little ornaments hanging from ceiling, and golden ribbons tied around railing in perfect bows. Most stores had snowflake stickers on their windows and doors, and there were advertisements everywhere of happy, glamorous people bundled up in heavy clothing, prepared for the bitter cold and snow. Marcos wasn't sure why businesses insisted on using such unrealistic ads; Los Angeles hardly ever got below 60 degrees, even in the winter. That was cold, yes, but not cold enough for layers and layers of thick, woolen clothes. And there was never any real snow. L.A. was not known for its white Christmases. Marcos shook his head and turned back to the task that was at hand.

One of the things that this mall was known for around Christmas time was its pictures. Or, more specifically, its Santa Clause pictures. Parents from all across the city, and even sometimes from out of town, came to the mall, pulling along their excited children. There was a little roped off area in the very middle of the mall where a huge Christmas tree had been set up. The tree was about thirty feet tall, and had been extravagantly decorated by the mall's employees over the weekend. Surrounding the Christmas tree were dozens of carefully wrapped empty boxes, which sat upon the most realistic fake snow anyone had ever seen. And there, in the middle of it all, was a fancy chair, almost like a throne. And on that throne sat the king of Christmas himself: Santa Clause.

The old man looked around with a kind twinkle in his eye. He might not have been the real Saint Nick, but he sure played the part well. He was a jolly old man who loved to be around kids, and the smile on his face and the happy blush in cheeks was always genuine. Every time a kid jumped into his lap he let out a hearty ho, ho, ho and asked them what he wished for. The man sitting on the chair erased all doubts in every child's mind: Santa Clause had come to town, and he would be back again on Christmas Eve.

Marcos smiled as a little boy ran forward and jumped without hesitation onto the jolly man's lap, his mouth running a million miles an hour as he chattered on about all the things he wanted for Christmas. Santa laughed as the boy paused to take a breath before jumping right back into his list. The little boy's parents watched from the side, smiling sheepishly at their son. Marcos heard one of them whisper, "Maybe it's time to cut back on the candy canes." A laugh escaped the photographer. He loved Christmas.

Picking up the camera that was hanging around his neck, Marcos held up the stuffed puppy puppet that he always used when he wanted a little kid to smile and look towards the camera. The boy looked up at him and giggled. "Smile pretty pretty!" Marcos called. Both the boy and Santa Clause grinned cheerfully as the photographer snapped away. "Perfect!"

The little boy jumped off of Santa's lap and ran to his parents, who were smiling broadly. "Did you tell Santa what you want, Jimmy?" the boys' mother asked. Jimmy nodded, bouncing up and down. "Yeah! I told him I wanted a Transformers car and some new Legos and a new Spiderman action figure and…" Jimmy followed his parents to the area that they were supposed to pick up their photos, jabbering on about all the new toys he wanted.

Marcos grinned as he listened, shivering slightly in the cold air. While most of the mall was heated, the manager had insisted that this area be cold, claiming that it made the experience "more realistic." Marcos didn't care one bit, because he was all about people getting the full Christmas experience.

Christmas had always been a merry time for Marcos. After moving to the United States from Italy when he was seven, he had lived in Colorado for the better part of his childhood. He'd lived in a small town, one that was less crowded, less polluted, and most importantly, less urban than Denver. There, Christmas had always been a huge celebration. Every family cut down the biggest, healthiest tree they could find. Every street was decorated with red bows, and most yards had extravagant light displays and Christmas themed wooden decorations. In every house, every visible inch was covered in something to celebrate the holidays. The people were always in good cheer, and the Christmas' Marcos had had growing up were some of his fondest memories. That was why he always loved to spread the spirit of the holiday, especially with the impressionable children of the city.

Marcos glanced up from his camera as a wail suddenly cut through the happy chatter of the mall. A little girl, maybe about four or five, was being carried towards Santa by her parents, and judging by the way she was screaming, she wasn't very happy about it. Her father tried to set her down, growing more and more frazzled as she continued to shriek and cry. The second her feet touched the ground she took off running, crying. The girl's parents followed, looking incredibly tired.

Marcos felt a little pang in his heart. As happy as the holiday was, there were always a handful of children who were afraid of Santa Clause. Maybe it had something to do with being put on the lap of a stranger, or maybe they just didn't like being away from their mom and dad. Whatever the case was, it always made Marcos sad to see little kids running away from the jolly man, instead of towards him.

"Mary, please come back!" the girl's mother called, looking upset. The girl turned her head for just a split second to look back at her mom, shaking her head. "NO!" she cried.

In the time she had turned to look behind her, the little girl had inadvertently changed directions. Instead of going towards the exit, she was heading for Marcos. Before she had a chance to turn around she had run into the photographer. Her little body fell backwards onto the fake snow, and she looked up at Marcos with big, tear filled eyes, her bottom lip quivering.

As he looked down at the scared little girl, Marcos felt a sudden strength course through him. Before he even realized what he was doing, the photographer had knelt down next to the girl, looking at her with curious eyes. "Your name is Mary?" he asked gently. His "i" sounds were sharp, sounding more like "ee." The little girl hesitated before nodded, standing up. She looked at Marcos cautiously, but she didn't run away. Marcos took that as an okay to keep talking. "Why are you afraid of old Santa Clause over there?"

At the mere mention of the man's name the girl began to tremble again. "He's bad!" she exclaimed, pointing behind her for emphasis. Marcos couldn't help but smile at her indignant response. Raising an eyebrow, Marcos grinned from ear to ear. "Santa is not bad! Santa is good! He brings you lots of presents and pretty pretty dolls!" Mary's eyes widened, and she looked at him carefully. "Really?"

"Yes!" Marcos nodded. With his accent it came out more like, "Chez!" The little girl looked back at Santa hesitantly, shrinking away a little bit as he smiled at her. "Are… Are you sure?" she asked, still looking a bit nervous. Marcos smiled, nodding profusely. "Chez, chez!" Mary looked a bit skeptical, but at the same time she looked a little more willing to go back to the father of Christmas. Marcos leaned over towards a bag that was lying near some of his camera equipment, pulling out a candy cane. "How about this?" he asked, holding the candy up for her to see. Her eyes brightened, and she watched the peppermint cane, instantly transfixed. "You go over to Santa and smile pretty pretty for the camera, and when you're done I will give you candy," Marcos proposed. Mary didn't hesitate this time. "Okay!" she cried, nodding enthusiastically. Marcos smiled as she turned and ran off the Santa Clause, sitting carefully on his lap.

The photographer picked up his camera, giving Mary a thumbs up. She returned the gesture, grinning from ear to ear. "Ready? One… Two… Three… Merry Christmas!" There was a quick series of flashes, and then the pictures had been taken. Mary blinked, trying to get rid of the weird blackness that came from the flashes, and looked at Marcos. "Is it over?" she asked, clearly surprised. Marcos nodded, holding out the candy cane for her. "Chez," he smiled. Mary reached out and grabbed it, smiling. "That wasn't so bad!" she exclaimed.

Mary's parents came over, grabbing their daughter by each of her hands and leading her to the booth that was producing the pictures. As they passed the photographer, the mother paused and looked at Marcos with grateful eyes. "Thank you," she said softly. Marcos nodded, still smiling. "It was my pleasure."

As Mary and her family made their way towards the exit the little girl turned around. "Bye Santa!" she called out. The man looked over at her and waved, his eyes twinkling. "Merry Christmas, Mary!" The girl giggled and allowed herself to be carried away by her parents, disappearing into the huge crowd.

Marcos watched her leave, then turned his attention back to his job. Two kids, brothers it seemed, had run up, and they were talking animatedly to Santa, interrupting each other in their excitement. Marcos brought his camera up, ready to snap the pictures, when something soft landed on his arm. Glancing up, the photographer was puzzled to see a small, white flake on his arm, much like the ones that were on the ground. As he watched another one landed on his arm, then another, until he was being surrounded by a light, almost snow like material.

Kids everywhere were laughing, pointing excitedly as the "snow" that had suddenly appeared. Marcos looked up, trying to find the source of the flakes, and he smiled. There, leaning against the railing, was Kendall, James, Carlos, and Logan. Each boy was holding a cardboard box, tipping it over the side slightly and shaking it gently, sending little snowflakes down onto the crowd of kids and their parents. Marcos heard a dim shout, and all four of the boys looked up. Their eyes widened and they dropped the boxes, grabbing the shopping bags that they had set down and running off. As they ran, the boys waved down at Marcos and the kids, grinning excitedly. "Merry Christmas!" they yelled, before disappearing from sight.

Marcos watched in amusement as a bunch of mall security guards came into view, looking around wildly for the boys. Shaking his head, the photographer turned his attention back to the kids. "Say 'Merry Christmas!'" he said.

As the boys left and a new group of kids came forward, Marcos smiled. It was turning out to be a white Christmas after all.

* * *

**FLUFF! Lol:) So different from the angst I usually write. It's kind of nice:) Except it kills me ten times more. And the return of Mary! What did you guys think? Just FYI, Marcos will probably be the minorest of the minor characters in this. And guess what? I wrote this chapter first. I had a weird moment of inspiration, and so I wrote this chapter before the inspiration went away. Haha:) But ashleyjordan gave me the idea for him and I just absolutely loved it, so here he is. :) ****Buone Feste Natalizie! (Italian)**


	7. Katie

**It kind of makes me sad to see how short these chapters are. I can't write long, happy things. They have to be short. But better short than nothing at all! Speaking of nothing at all: I have once again made a few cuts to this. I just... Well for one, I just don't find myself feeling inspired to write the chapters that I hadn't written yet. They were really really really minor characters, and for those of you who were hoping for the fifteen chapters... I'm sorry. It's only twelve now. Also, I think I'm just impatient to move onto the other things I have planned. Again, I'm really sorry to anyone who might be disappointed. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Big Time Rush.**

* * *

Katie looked around the studio of Rocque Records, frowning at its lack of Christmas cheer. There was nothing to even hint at the idea that Gustavo knew what holiday was just around the corner, and everything looked like it normally did. Katie glanced at the boxes that she had found shoved into the back of a small supply closet and the small Christmas tree that Buddha Bob had given her, then back at the boring walls of the studio. There was a lot of work to be done.

Kelly had called 2J, asking for the boys to help her decorate the studio, but since they weren't home Katie had volunteered. The assistant had warned her that there was a lot to do, and that she wouldn't have anyone to help her, but Katie had insisted. She loved decorating during the holidays, but her mom was a total dictator when it came to what went where; the way the youngest Knight saw it, this was her time to shine. Katie opened the first box, trying to decide what she would do first.

She decided that the office needed some more color. There was already a ton of red, so all she really needed to do was add some green to it. She pulled out a bunch of green ribbons, grabbing the nearest chair and stepping up onto it. She quickly set about hanging them from the ceiling, jumping on and off the chair to get more ribbons. The box was emptied fairly quickly, and when she was done the ceiling was a sea of red, green, and gold. She paused for a second to make sure that it looked perfect, then moved onto the next box.

This box was smaller, and it held a few stockings. There were no names on them, but they were decorated with pictures of Santa Clause and his elves and reindeer. She searched deeper into the box, trying to find something that she could hang them up with; if she was reduced to using a hammer and nails Gustavo would probably kill her for putting holes in his studio walls. She was luck, and found a bunch of golden hooks at the bottom. There was no fireplace in Rocque Records, but the glass walls made a nice replacement.

After that there were just little things; She found a few small wreaths, which she hung up on every door in the studio. There were some snow globes, which she put on the tables and Gustavo's desk before she thought better of it. Knowing her brother and his friends, they would be broken within an hour of them being in the studio. Finally she decided that she would just leave one out, and hope that the destructive boys would try to be careful around it. Lastly, she found some nutcrackers. The things had always kind of freaked Kendall out, but Katie loved them for just that reason. She set them around the room, smiling as she thought about how her big brother would react when he saw them. Now that all of those decorations were out of the way, there was only one thing left to do: decorate the tree.

Buddha Bob had given her a fake tree that had been stored in the Palm Woods basement, since it wasn't used anymore. It wasn't anything special, just a seven foot tree with pre-strung lights. All she really had to do was plug it in and hang up a few ornaments, and then she would be done. It was probably the easiest of all the things she'd had to do that day, but it also made her the most excited. Putting up the tree was her favorite part of Christmas.

When December rolled around, and Christmas was in the air, that was all Katie could think about. While her mom was incredibly strict when it came to Christmas decorations, she had always let Kendall and Katie have their way when it came to the tree. Hanging up ornaments and putting on the star was _their _thing, and it always made her excited when Kendall finally put the star on at the end. Her big brother wasn't there to help her now, but that didn't make her any less excited. The Christmas tree was her favorite part of Christmas, and she loved it more than anything, even the presents. And now she would get to decorate two trees in one Christmas.

The box of ornaments that Rocque Records had stored wasn't much; there were mainly just round glass ones, ranging in all sorts of colors, and there was a plastic gingerbread man and a candy cane here and there. Fortunately, Katie had thought ahead, and brought a few of her own. They were the picture frame ornaments, and they all had photos that Katie had secretly taken during her time in L.A. There was one of Kelly on Gustavo's back, trying to stop him from attacking the boys for something they had done. There was one of the boys with their arms around each other, two on either side of Gustavo. The producer had a bewildered look on his face, like he didn't know the picture was being taken, and the boys were laughing. Then there was one of him in the studio, playing his piano, and for once the great Gustavo Rocque looked _happy. _There weren't many ornaments, because most of them had been put on the tree back in 2J, but there were enough so that Katie was sure the tree would have a more personal look to it.

It didn't take long to hang up the ornaments; there were thirty as most, which wasn't much as far as Katie was concerned. Because of her height, she had had to use a chair to decorate the top of the tree, but it still looked great. She pushed the button that turned on all the little lights on the tree and it lit up the room. It was all very simple, and there was nothing really special about it, but to Katie it was one of the most beautiful things she had ever seen.

Katie admired her handy work. If she was being perfectly honest with herself, the tree looked amazing. All that was left was to put on the star, and then everything would be perfect. Usually Kendall put it on, because he was older and taller than her, but since he wasn't there she would have to do it. She had no complaints, and was actually really excited that she would be the one to put the star on for once. She grabbed the chair that she had been standing on and put one foot up, getting ready to put on the final decoration. Before she could get all the way up, however, the door to the studio opened, and Gustavo Rocque himself stepped in.

He was busy looking at something on his phone, and at first he didn't even seem to realize that something was different. He frowned at something on the screen and looked away, rolling his eyes in disgust. His eyes widened when he saw the newly transformed studio. His gaze travelled over everything, taking it all in. Finally his eyes rested on Katie, who was watching him expectantly. Words were beyond him. Katie raised her eyebrows, trying to determine what his reaction meant. "Well?" she demanded impatiently. "What do you think?"

Gustavo stared at her for a moment before his face turned red. "What did you _do?"_ he yelled. Katie looked taken aback by his anger, but she didn't falter with her reply. "My studio! _No one _is allowed in my studio, and they certainly can't do _this_!" Katie stared at him in amazement. "Dude, it's Christmas. And your studio needed an Extreme Makeover: Knight Addition. Come on, where's your holiday spirit?" The record producer gaped at her, before pointing at the door. "_No one _is allowed in my studio without _my _permission. Now GET OUT!" He was breathing heavily, and he was just barely containing himself. If she didn't get out soon, he would explode.

Katie looked at him for another second, then shook her head. "You know, you should really try to appreciate Christmas more. This is the worst time of the year to be bitter. You should be happy, and look at how lucky you are. That's what Christmas is all about. Don't waste all the spirit being miserable." And with that she disappeared out the door, leaving behind an awestruck Gustavo. Everyone needed a little Christmas cheer; she just hoped that he would realize that he was no exception.

* * *

**Ugh. The boys weren't in this chapter. :( Oh Gustavo. Talk about a total Scrooge, right? But he'd not going to be visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future. :) ****Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun! (Turkish)**


	8. Gustavo

**I feel like I witnessed something really amazing yesterday, and I wanted to share it with you guys. So my mom and I were at the mall because I needed some formal clothes, right? Well, as we were driving out of the parking lot to leave, my mom noticed this old man trying to wheel himself (he was in a wheelchair) across the parking lot. My mom was like, "Doesn't that make you want to cry?" And it did, because he had use of one leg and was trying to use it to propel himself forward and it wasn't really working, and there were a ton of cars because, well, it's the mall. And almost Christmas. And he was literally as far away from the mall as you can be in a parking lot. So I, being the type of person to want to help every single person on the side of the road, was like, "Should we help him?" And she was like, "Well,I don't know..." But she turned around anyway. So we pulled up next to the man, and I swear I legitimately thought he was Santa Clause. He had on a hat and he had a white beard and whoa. Anyway, my mom was like, "Can we do anything to help you?" So we gave him a little money and my mom pushed his wheelchair all the way up to the mall while I waited in the car. When she got back she was like, "He was such a sweet man. He's apparently in seminary (which is some religious Christian thing) and when we got inside he prayed with me. And when we heard the bells from those people who are always out front asking for change, he said, "Every time a bell rings an angel gets its wings." (Which is an 'It's A Wonder Life' reference.') Then he did a 'ho ho ho' (told you he was Santa Clause) and said that he took voice lessons so that he could sound like Santa and that he came up to the mall three times a week just to try and make people happy." I mean, really. How amazing is that?  
**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Big Time Rush.**

* * *

Gustavo watched with wide eyes as Kendall's sister disappeared through the studio doors, staring after her in disbelief. His first reaction was shock, although in reality he knew he shouldn't have been so surprised. She was related to Kendall, after all. He and his friends were the only people who would ever dare argue with him, and it made sense that his sister was just the same. Once he'd gotten over his surprise, though, he was left with one emotion: anger.

What did she know? She was eleven, for crying out loud. And what was more, she didn't know anything about him. In her eyes, he was probably just the guy who was making her brothers famous and who seemed to be constantly yelling at everyone. But there was more to Gustavo than meets the eye. She didn't know him; none of them did.

He knew that Kelly had told James and Kendall about his mom had made him stay inside and play the piano all day when he was a kid, and they had almost certainly told Carlos and Logan, and maybe even the rest of Kendall's family. But that was only part of the story. They didn't know how his mother had made him practice for hours a day around Christmas, and then forced him to do performances at malls and parties. Even when his family had flown in from out of town to visit them, he hadn't been allowed to go play in the snow with his cousins; instead, he played the piano to entertain everyone. Christmas wasn't a time for him to be happy and relax. In fact, it was the busiest, most tiring time of the year for him. One could only do things like that for so long before they begin to hate the holiday.

In his mind, it was absolutely unfair. He was amazing at the piano; his mom was always bragging about him to her friends, and telling them about how even if he didn't practice at all he would still be the best. But if that was true, why did she insist that he spend every waking minute playing? It wasn't fair. Everything was unfair.

Christmas wasn't a time of presents and cheer for him. The only gifts he'd ever gotten from his parents were piano books, and if someone gave him a toy it was locked in the attic, where it couldn't "distract" him. While the other kids were out caroling, he was inside. It wasn't that he didn't like the piano; he was good at it, and he loved to play. But not when it was forced upon him. When that was the case, music was just about the worst thing in the world to him.

Gustavo looked around at all of the decorations Katie had put up. Whether or not he'd liked the fact that she'd decorated his studio without his permission, but he had to admit that she'd done a great job. It all looked incredibly impressive. He looked at the tree more closely, and he was amused to see a bunch of pictures of himself and the boys. Naturally, he was screaming in most of them, but in one of them he looked happy and at peace. He wondered where Katie had gotten those pictures; he sure hadn't given her permission to take them. But he looked so calm, almost happy...

"_You should be happy, and look at how lucky you are." _As much as he hated to admit it, Katie had had a point when she said that. Even if he hadn't had the best childhood, look at where he was now. He was back on his way to the top, and even though they could be a bit hard to deal with sometimes, the boys were easily the greatest band he'd ever worked with. He wasn't some deadbeat running his uncle's scooter business. Things weren't as bad as they could have been; in fact, he couldn't see how they could get any better.

Maybe Katie was right. Maybe he just needed to let go of the past, and really try to enjoy the holidays while he didn't have to do anything but sit back and relax. Maybe he should stop being so bitter and angry, and do what Katie had told him to. Maybe he-

The sound of voices interrupted his thoughts, pulling him out of his momentary epiphany. He glanced up from the Christmas tree as Kendall, James, Carlos, and Logan ran in, excited smiles on their faces. "Merry almost Christmas, Gustavo!" they all cheered. The producer raised his eyebrows, but he didn't say anything as they all came to a stop in front of him. "We just wanted to come by and–" Kendall broke off of whatever he was about to say, staring at a nutcracker that was nearby with an odd expression. The others followed his gaze, and the boys laughed when they saw what he was looking at. "As he was saying," Logan continued, picking up where the blond had left off. "We just wanted to come by and wish you a merry Christmas, and give you this." Carlos stepped forward with a small, wrapped box in his hand and handed it to Gustavo.

The man looked at it in surprise. "What's this?" The boys looked at each other with knowing looks and smiled. "Well, you'll just have to open it and see!" Carlos exclaimed. Gustavo rolled his eyes. Carlos and James' grins widened, and Logan looked down at his watch. "Well, we need to get going. See you tonight, Gustavo!" And with that, James and Carlos each grabbed one of Kendall's arms and pulled him towards the door, with Logan right behind them, and then Gustavo was alone once again.

The producer looked at the box for a minute, trying to figure out what was inside. He had no idea what it could be, because there wasn't anything that he really wanted at the moment. As his hands moved to tear off the paper, he noticed for the first time that there was a little card hidden beneath the bow. He pulled it out and opened it, straining his eyes to read whoever had written its handwriting. As he read, his heart swelled. It said:

"Dear Gustavo,

Coming to L.A. has been one of the most amazing experiences in our lives. You've made James' biggest dream come true, and that dream has spread to the rest of us. We don't know what we'd be doing if you hadn't decided to let us become a singing group. Probably shoveling snow back in Minnesota. And that is not a fun task, trust us.

Our point is, we can't thank you enough for all you've done. We know that sometimes we don't see eye to eye on everything, but we can all see that we're on our way to the top, and it's all thanks to you.

We hope you have a merry Christmas, and that you can really see just how many miracles we've had along the way, Christmas or otherwise.

The "Dogs,"

Kendall, James, Carlos, & Logan.

P.S. We're having a little Christmas social gathering tonight at the Palm Woods at 6:00. You're presence is expected. See you there!"

It had to be the cheesiest, corniest, mushiest letter that he'd ever read in his entire life. On any other day would have laughed at it and thrown it in the trash without another thought. But something felt different. For the first time in years, Christmas didn't seem like the worst thing in the world.

He turned his attention back to the little box in front of him and tore off the paper, opening a little shoe box to find a picture frame. The frame must have been custom made, because it said "Big Time Rush" in huge letters at the top and had the names of all the band's songs all around. In the frame was a picture of himself, Kelly, and the boys, smiling happily into the camera after their first concert. He had on his usual smirk, but there was no mistaking the joy in his eyes.

It was just a simple picture. It was just a simple letter. But there was something about the two that meant the world to him. He felt something that he hadn't felt in a long time. He couldn't quite place it, or even explain it. But it made his heart feel whole, and it made him feel good.

Gustavo took the frame and set it on his office desk, positioning it so that it faced where he usually sat, so that he could see it whenever he looked up. Everything that had happened in the past hour had made him realize that, despite what he had always thought, maybe Christmas wasn't so bad after all.

* * *

**Wow. I gave Gustavo a really hard childhood, didn't I? I'm really mean. SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME ****WHERE ALL THIS CHEESY FLUFF IS COMING FROM! Seriously. THIS is why I write angst. SERIOUSLY. Speaking of angst, I started writing Road to Nowhere last night and I'm now really excited. I'll start posting that soon. :)Also, to Too lazy to log in: Marcos del Posey and Marco del Rossi. HAHAHA. I'm in love with Degrassi and I never once thought about that. That is REALLY funny. I think we should look into this. :) ****Pulit nadal e bona annado! (****Occitan)**


	9. Kelly

**I keep telling myself, "One more week, one more week, one more week." I am so ready for Christmas break. At my orchestra holiday concert I was basically jumping up and down, because it was just so cheerful and amazing. :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Big Time Rush.**

* * *

Kelly looked around her bare apartment, frowning as she took in the blank white walls and the plain blue furniture. Like the boys, she lived at the Palm Woods. It was easier to get to the boys when Gustavo decided that there was some last minute thing that he needed them to do, and the Palm Woods was the closest apartment complex to Rocque Records. The location was perfect, and there was no way it could have been any more convenient.

Not that it really mattered. She never had any time to be in her apartment because of the huge piles of work that she had to do for Gustavo. The only time she got to be there was when she was sleeping, and even that wasn't usually more than six or seven hours. She spent more time at the recording studio than she did in her own home. It could be a bit hectic at times, but since she'd always been someone who liked to constantly be on the go, it was the perfect job for her. But at times like this, when Gustavo gave her the day off and refused to let her anywhere near Rocque Records, it became painfully obvious that outside of work, she didn't have much of a life.

In the entertainment business, only the performers got any free time. The people behind the scenes, the managers, the agents, the producers, the assistants, were the ones that never had any time. They were constantly busy working, and if stars didn't get very much time to themselves then the people who worked for them didn't get any.

Since she was hardly ever home, her apartment was bare, and there wasn't really anything set up to give it a homely feel. There were no pictures, no messes, and no Christmas decorations. At first glance you wouldn't even be able to tell that anyone lived there. When she wasn't home it didn't really matter, but at times like this it was a little disheartening. The phrase "I'm married to my work" certainly applied to her, maybe a little more than she would have liked.

The assistant made her way to the little closet that was across from the bathroom, taking a look at all of the boxes that were stacked up inside. All of them were waiting to be unpacked, just like she'd left them two years ago. She frowned and pulled one out, coughing as a cloud of dust circled in the air. She needed something to work on, and since Gustavo had insisted that she not come to the studio today, she figured the now was as good a time as any to add some life to her apartment.

Most of the boxes were just photo albums and decorative dishes and rugs that her parents had sent up with her when she moved from Oklahoma. There were some old clothes that she never got to wear because L.A. was always so hot, and then clothes that she just didn't wear in general. She took out to picture frames and some of the decorations, putting them in a pile off to the side so that she could put them up. Then she moved onto the largest box. She'd decided that that would be the first box that she unpacked as soon as she'd seen the huge label that read "CHRISTMAS" on it.

There wasn't much inside of it; it was mostly glass ornaments, wrapped in bubble wrap and packing peanuts, and there were a few wooden figurines of Santa, his elves, and his reindeer. At the very bottom of the box she found a small wreath and some green and red lights, but other than that there wasn't much. Kelly sighed, picking up the wreath and moving towards the door. The next time she had a chance she would have to go to go to the nearest Bloomingdale's or Kirkland's, because she was in desperate need of some home décor.

It took her less than five minutes to get almost all of the Christmas decorations up, and the only things she had left to do were the ornaments, and she didn't have a tree to put them on. She'd have to get Buddha Bob to get her one, although seeing as it was only a few days till Christmas the odds of her getting one were slim to none. With another sigh she moved onto the little pile of normal decorations, picking up picture frames and moving about to apartment to set them up on various tables and shelves. She was in the middle of putting one of herself with her family when there was a knock at the door.

Kelly looked up from what she was doing, setting down the picture and making her way towards the door. Looking through the little peep hole in the middle of the wood, she was surprised to see Kendall, James, Carlos, and Logan all crowded, smiling as they waited for her to open the door. She stepped back and turned the lock, letting the door swing open. When the boys saw her their eyes lit up, and before she could say anything they had started singing.

"Fahoo fores dahoo dores, welcome Christmas, come this way. Fahoo fores dahoo dores, welcome Christmas, Christmas day! Welcome, welcome, fahoo ramus. Welcome, welcome dahoo damus. Christmas day is in our grasp, so long as we have hands to clasp." Kelly smirked at the boys' rendition of Welcome Christmas from How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Kendall stepped forward, a big smile on his face. "Joy to the World , the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King! Let every heart prepare Him room, and Heaven and nature sing, and Heaven and nature sing, and Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing." As Kendall stepped back, James moved forward.

"Haul out the holly. Put up the tree before my spirit falls again. Fill up the stocking, I may be rushing things but, deck the halls again now. For we need a little music, need a little laughter,  
need a little singing, ringing through the rafter, and a little snappy  
happy ever after. Need a little Christmas now." Smiling wildly, James stepped back, moving out of Carlos' way as the boy stepped forward.

"Have a holly, jolly Christmas. It's the best time of the year. I don't know if there'll be snow, but have a cup of cheer. Have a holly, jolly Christmas and when you walk down the street. Say hello to friends you know and everyone you meet." Logan stepped up as Carlos finished his part, looking the most nervous of the four boys, but still very excited.

"Oh, there's no place like home for the holidays. 'Cause no matter how far away you roam. When you pine for the sunshine of a friendly face, for the holidays you can't beat home, sweet home."Logan stepped back so that the boys were shoulder and shoulder and once again the boys sang in harmony.

"We wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a merry Christmas, and a happy New Year!" And with that the boys threw out their hands and yelled, "Merry Christmas, Kelly!" Kelly smiled, her heart warming as she took in the their extreme cheer. "You guys! Thank you! But shouldn't you be getting ready for your Christmas party?" The boys exchanged knowing glances and smiled at her.

"We _should _be getting ready, but," Kendall began, motioning for James and Logan to get something that was out of Kelly's line of sight, "friends and family come first. And besides, we figured that you might need this." Kendall looked past Kelly at her lamely decorated apartment and smirked. "And it looks like we were right." Kelly frowned at him, trying to make sense of what he was saying. "What did you guys-" At that moment James and Logan stepped back into sight, struggling under the weight of a giant Christmas tree. Kelly stepped back as they made their way slowly through the door, watching speechlessly. The boys set the tree down carefully in a corner before turning back to her, smiling excitedly. "Merry Christmas!"

Kelly felt tears come to her eyes, blurring her vision as she smiled at the boys. "Awww! You guys!" She felt a sense of extreme déjà vu, but she was so happy that she didn't care. The boys were grinning like madmen, and they all felt their hearts swell. They glanced at the clock on the wall, frowning when they noticed the time. "Well, we'll leave you to your decorating. See you tonight, Kelly!" The boys ran out of the apartment, leaving the assistant standing shocked and blissful in the doorway.

She turned around, admiring the Christmas tree. It wasn't one of those fake plastic ones that most people used; it was a real pine tree. It wasn't much, but to Kelly is was absolutely beautiful. She made her way over to the box of ornaments, pulling them out and setting to work on decorating the tree. When she stepped back, everything looked perfect. For the first time in years, Kelly felt truly at home.

* * *

**I started writing angst again on Saturday (because I've finished everything for this and now all I have to do is post) and I have to say, I am so ready to get back to it. Is that bad? I don't know, but I love it. :) Fröhliche Weihnachten! (German)**


	10. Jo

**I meant to post this before school, but I forgot. Then I got to school and remembered and decided to post it there, but I forgot. Then during first period I remembered again and was going to pretend to go to the bathroom so that I could post from my phone, but I- Well, you get the point. Anyway, yes, Jo is going to be in this. I know a lot of people don't like her, myself included, but this is Christmas. It's a time for family and friends, and she'd definitely Kendall's "friend."  
;) So of course she had to be in it, right?**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Big Time Rush**

* * *

Jo glanced around her empty apartment, sighing. For the first time in months she had a day off, but no one was around to spend it with. Camille was at rehearsal for the movie she was working on, and the boys were nowhere to be found. Everyone else at the Palm Woods was either out of town for the holidays or our getting last minute Christmas presents. She didn't feel like going to the gym, and since it was a cloudy day outside she didn't want to go down to the pool. She could have gone to the lobby, but she didn't really want to sit alone. She was perfectly content being on her own in her apartment, watching the Charlie Brown Christmas special on ABC Family.

But she was lonely. Not because none of her friends were around; she'd had days in Los Angeles were all of her friends were somewhere else, and she'd been left alone. That she could handle. The thing was, this was her first Christmas in L.A. This would be her first Christmas living on her own, without her family around. She couldn't go home for the holidays; her busy acting schedule wouldn't permit it. And her parents and brother wouldn't be able to come until New Years because her father was swamped with work. This would be her first Christmas without her family, and she wasn't thrilled about it. That was yet another price that fame brought.

Jo sighed again and settled back into the couch, watching as Charlie Brown picked out his baby Christmas tree. Jo continued to watch the movie, smiling sadly as all the kids began to laugh at Charlie for his tree. Her smile widened a bit as Linus began to quote the Bible, and Charlie had a sudden epiphany. A Charlie Brown Christmas had always been one of her favorite Christmas movies. It was old and simple, and those were the things she loved about it. They didn't need to have some family team up with Santa Clause to save Christmas, or some poor elf roaming the streets of New York pulling off Christmas miracles (although she did love Elf; Will Ferrell never failed to make her laugh). A Charlie Brown Christmas showed Christmas miracles without the help of Santa, or Rudolf, or any of the elves. Just everyday people, like herself. It was sweet to watch, and it never failed to make her smile.

But this time when she smiled, it was a sad smile; the last time she'd watched the movie she'd been back in her home in North Carolina with her older brother, Jake. Jake had gone off to college last year in New York. He had promised to come home for Christmas, even if it was only for a few days. They didn't get to see each other very often, but the holidays were a time for family. He had made the effort to get back home, even though she wouldn't even be there to enjoy it. Moving to Hollywood had taken away a lot of time with her family, but they'd all known that would happen. But this, not being able to spend Christmas with them… It was hard.

Jo was interrupted from her personal pity party by a sharp knock on the door. She stood up and made her way towards it, looking through the little peep hole. Kendall was standing on the other side, his face distorted by the little glass between them. Laughing, Jo opened the door, stepping aside so that her boyfriend could enter. Kendall walked in, kissing her gently on the cheek. "Merry Christmas," he greeted her cheerfully. Jo smiled at him. "Three more days," she corrected him. Kendall rolled his eyes. "Not when it comes to presents."

Jo looked at him, immediately searching for anything he had brought. There was nothing that looked like it could be a gift. Before she could ask, Kendall was walking away, heading towards her living room. "You should clean up a little bit," he mused, straightening pillows while Jo watched in bewilderment. "Don't want to look sloppy, right?"

Kendall finished straightening up the living room and began to move towards the kitchen, putting away a few stray plates and glasses. Jo stood in the doorway, eyebrows raised. "What exactly do you think you're doing?"

Kendall finished putting the dishes in the dishwasher and looked up at her, smiling at her bemused look. "Well, I figured since it's almost Christmas that you would want to have a nice, clean apartment," he explained. Jo looked at him skeptically. "Since when do you clean?" Kendall was smiling at her strangely, like a little kid that knew a secret.

Kendall took a step forward, and suddenly his lips were pressed against hers. She was a little surprised at first, but after a few seconds she wrapped her arms around his neck and started kissing back. They remained that way for several minutes, standing in the doorway to the kitchen. Finally they broke away, their cheeks flushed. Kendall grinned, glancing up. "Caught under the mistletoe," he murmured. Jo glanced up and saw that he was right; they were right under the mistletoe. She wasn't even sure why she had put that up; it had just been in the small box of Christmas decorations she had brought from North Carolina. She was definitely glad she had put it up, though.

"So," Kendall said, leaning against the kitchen counter. "We both have the day off, and all we have is our little Christmas "social gathering" tonight," he began. "So what should we do?" They both glanced around the apartment. There wasn't much to do. "We could go down to Palm Woods Park or something," Jo suggested. Kendall jumped up. "No!" he shouted. Jo raised her eyebrows, smirking as Kendall blushed. "I mean… We should do something in the spirit of the holidays. Oh look, the Polar Express is on! Let's watch that!" Without waiting for an answer he made his way over to the couch, sitting down and gluing his eyes to the TV. Jo sat down next to him, watching him out of the corner of her eye.

Her boyfriend was acting strange; much stranger than he usually did. Usually he was just crazy and weird, and trying to have more fun than was really smart. Right now, though, he looked really excited, like he knew something that she didn't. She had half a mind to ask him why he was being so weird, but she thought better of it. It was probably just the holidays.

She turned her attention to the movie that was playing. ABC Family always went all out for the Christmas season, and she loved it. The Polar Express was another one of her favorite movies, mainly because she thought that Tom Hanks was a genius. The two sat there, watching as the little boy had a bunch of adventures on the train. They had just gotten to the part where the boy met the magic hobo on top of the train when there was another knock at the door. Jo looked up in surprise. "Maybe that's Camille." No one else would be visiting her, unless it was James, Carlos, or Logan looking for Kendall.

As Jo stood up to answer the door, Kendall got that strange smile on his face again. "Yeah. It must be Camille." She frowned at him, but his grin only widened. He had a knowing look in his eyes. Still frowning at him, Jo made her way towards the door, opening. She gasped when she saw who was standing on the other side. Her eyes widened, and her heart soared. "M-Mom? Dad? Jake? What are you guys doing here?" Standing there, before her very eyes, was her family.

Her parents stepped forward, pulling her into a hug. Her mom was a small woman, with a petite figure and dark brown hair. Her father was a big man, standing at 6'6''. He had the same blond hair as his children. The two hugged her and stepped back, their eyes shining. "Look at our baby! You look so grown up! Like a movie star!" her mother said excitedly. Jo laughed. Although her mother had been hesitant to send her to L.A. she had always been secretly excited for her daughter. The whole family had.

Her parents stepped inside the apartment and revealed Jake, who had been standing behind them. Jo smiled as her brother wrapped an arm around her shoulder, shutting the door and leading her back into the apartment. "What are you guys doing here?" she repeated. She caught sight of Kendall, who had stood up and was walking towards them shyly. "Merry Christmas," he said quietly, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Jo stared at him speechlessly, but before she could say anything Jake spoke. "We got a call from your little boyfriend here. He said that we should spend Christmas with you, and that you really missed us. He even got his boss to pay for our plane tickets. This guy is a keeper," he said, smiling at Kendall. The blond looked more at ease instantly. Jake leaned down and whispered, "If he gives you any trouble, just call me. New York isn't that far away." Jo laughed. "I don't think you have much to worry about," she whispered back. Jake grinned and glanced around the apartment, letting out a low whistle. "Wow," he said, looking impressed. "Nice place you got here, sis. It's so much better than the dorms at Colombia."

Noticing the bags that were laying discarded in the hallway, Jo pointed down the hall. "There's two guest bedrooms down the hall," she said. Her family picked up their bags and started walking in the direction she had pointed them in. "We'll unpack real quick and then we can catch up," her mother said. Jo nodded and watched as they disappeared down the hall. Once they were out of sight she turned to Kendall, her eyes shining with gratitude. "I can't believe you did all this," she said, shaking her head.

Kendall smiled at her and shrugged. "Well, it _is _Christmas. You shouldn't have to spend it alone." Jo felt her heart warm. She wouldn't have been alone, even if her family hadn't come. She had Kendall, and he was one of the kindest persons in the world. She wouldn't have been alone as long as he was around, but she was still incredibly grateful for what he'd done. She blushed sheepishly as a thought suddenly occurred to her. "This kind of beats the hat and scarf I got you, doesn't it?"

Kendall laughed, and then they were kissing again. This time there was no mistletoe around, but they didn't need an excuse. They jumped apart as someone cleared their throat from the hallway, and Jake stepped into the room, smirking. "Okay, you two. I think that's enough PDA for one day, don't you think?" Both of them were blushing furiously. "Jake!" Jo yelled, throwing a pillow at him. Her brother laughed and headed for the kitchen. "I hope you're prepared for us, little sister. You know what the holidays do to our appetite."

Jo shook her head, listening as her brother began to go through all of the food she had. Kendall wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed her on the cheek. "Merry Christmas," he whispered. Jo smiled and closed her eyes. It was definitely a merry Christmas. She had her family, and an amazing boyfriend. Even though it wasn't North Carolina, everything felt perfect. She was home for Christmas.

* * *

**OH MY GOSH LOOK HOW CORNY THAT ENDING WAS! -dies- Haha. But how could it NOT be corny? It's fluff! This whole thing is pure, agonizing fluff! I hate Jo so much. -sob- But of course she had to be in here. For Kendall. Blame him. Haha. So much for Christmas spirit. :)** **Mele Kalikimaka! (****Hawaiian)**


	11. Camille

**If there was a Jo chapter, there had to be a Camille chapter, right? -sigh- But after this it's the last chapter! I hate to say this, but I can't wait for this to be done. I really want to get back to my angst. My best friend in the whole world jokingly got me a book called Teen Angst? Naaah... for Christmas. I fell to my knees laughing. :) And now I have yet another book to add to the list of things I need to read, both real and fanfiction. Anyway.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Big Time Rush.**

* * *

Camille stepped into her kitchen, dropping her purse and heading straight for the fridge. She heard her dad walk in behind her, setting down his jacket. They had just gotten home from a day at the studio, and they were both exhausted. Filming a Christmas movie was a ton of fun, but it was really time consuming. Today had actually been a really short day, and they had gotten home by 4:00, but Camille's workday started at 6 AM. But it was all worth it to do what she loved, and it was a welcome distraction.

She missed Logan so much. She didn't often show it; in fact, she never did. Her acting skills allowed her to mask her heartache. Still, she hadn't realized how big of a role the Big Time Rush boys played at the Palm Woods. Everywhere she looked there was one of the boys. Especially Logan.

He'd said he'd forgiven her after what had happened with James; he'd said that they needed to break up, but that they could still remain friends. They had shaken hands; they had hugged. And then… they had kissed.

That moment had replayed in her head over and over again ever since. She and Logan had kissed. It had been an accidental kiss, just like the one she'd had with James, but this one was different. She hadn't felt the sparks with James that she had with Logan. When she was with him, everything felt right. Kissing him, slapping him, just being around him. She felt comfortable around him, something that she'd never felt around any other guy. But she'd messed up, and now she couldn't have him.

Her new movie had been her distraction. She didn't know why they were filming a Christmas movie in December; they wouldn't be able to release it until the next year that way. But it was a job, and it had kept her busy for the past two months; unfortunately, it was beginning to come to a close. Filming would be finished in mid-January, and then she would have to find a new project to work on. Camille really hoped that there wouldn't be a big gap between the two movies. Free time meant time to think about Logan, and she didn't want that.

Camille opened the fridge, grabbing a carton of orange juice and a glass. She poured herself a cup and sat on a barstool, relaxing. It was nice to just kick back and relax for once. Most of the time when she got home she either went straight to bed or went to hang out with Jo. There was never a free moment, so when she could, Camille took full advantage of whatever time she had to chill out.

Her dad walked out of the kitchen, his coat back on. "I need to run to the store, hon. Do you want me to pick anything up?" Camille blinked and glanced at him. He was standing by the door, waiting expectantly. She shook her head. "No, I think I'm good." Her father nodded and disappeared out the door, leaving Camille to her thoughts.

The actress gazed around her apartment, landing on the Christmas tree. When they had bought the tree, her father had insisted that they get the kind that came with all the bright, multicolored lights. He was an artistic man, and he liked to add color to everything that he possibly could. To some people it was a little distracting, but Camille loved it. It was perfect for her and her father; it was so bright and lively, just like the two of them. It wasn't one plain, unchanging color like normal Christmas lights, but a multitude of reds, greens, blues, pinks, and yellows. Apart from Big Time Rush's apartment, the places at the Palm Woods were very formal and pristine. The Christmas tree was their way of livening up the normally dull apartment.

Looking at the lights, Camille remembered why she had given herself so little time to relax. Her thoughts immediately flew to Logan. He was probably off with Kendall, James, and Carlos, preparing for the holidays. Jo had told her that they had a Christmas "social gathering" planned, but Camille hadn't heard anything about that. She couldn't blame Logan if he didn't want to invite her. Even if they were still friends, she knew she had hurt him.

She missed him more than she thought was possible. The only other person that she missed as much was her mom, and she had died years ago. It was frustrating, knowing that Logan was so close, but she couldn't have him. She'd never imagined that one kiss could cause so much trouble, and if she could have she would have taken it all back, stopped it from ever happening, not only because then maybe she and Logan could still be together, but so that she didn't have to live with the horrible guilt of knowing that she had hurt Logan.

She didn't want to say she loved him; her dad had always told to be extremely careful when it came to teenage "love." He'd warned her that someone would tell her whatever she wanted to hear, and then they would take advantage of her if she was too trusting. But Logan was different. He was so shy and gentle, and he would never do anything to hurt anyone, no matter how much they deserved it. She was still cautious about the words she used to describe her feelings for him, but they were definitely stronger than anything she'd ever felt before.

Camille was interrupted from her thoughts by a knock on her door. It was probably Jo, or maybe one of the other Palm Woods kids. Sighing, she stood up and made her way over to the door opening it to find a nervous looking Logan.

When he saw her, the dark haired boy smiled shyly. "Hi, Camille," he greeted quietly, holding his hands behind his back. Camille smiled back gently. "Oh, hi Logan. What's up?" The boy looked at her, blushing slightly. "Oh, well, I, uh… I just wanted to invite you to my- I mean, _our_, Christmas party," he stammered, pulling out a little invitation from behind his back. Camille took it and glanced at it, but her attention was focused completely on Logan.

"I know it's a little last minute, but we haven't seen you very much lately. I understand if you can't come, but I… _We _were hoping that you might be able to come." Camille nodded immediately. "Yeah! I mean… That sounds great. I'll be there." Happiness flashed through Logan's eyes and his smile widened for a split second before he started blushing furiously. "Great! I'll see you there, then!" They stood there for another minute, looking at each other awkwardly. Finally Logan seemed to realize that there wasn't anything else to talk about and turned away, giving Camille a small wave. "I'll see you tonight," he called over his shoulder, making his way for the elevator.

Once he was in the elevator, Logan waved one last time at Camille, who was watching him from her doorway. The door slid shut, and then Logan was alone. He rested his head against the metal, trying to get his thoughts straight. Seeing Camille again had been weird. Ever since the incident with James, he hadn't really had much face-to-face contact with her. Whenever they saw each other they were with a group of kids, and they hadn't had a one-on-one conversation in months. At first he thought he'd wanted it that way, but now… Seeing her again, he wasn't so sure anymore.

The door opened with a ding, and Logan stepped out, heading for 2J. Kendall, Carlos, and James were all there, setting up for their little "social gathering." Logan picked up some streamers and began to help decorate. He wanted tonight to be perfect; maybe then he would be able to sort out his feelings.

Camille watched him until he disappeared behind the elevator door. As soon as he was out of sight, she slammed the door and leaned against it, holding back the scream that was threatening to come out of her. Logan was talking to her; Logan had invited her to a _party. _That had to mean something, right? Maybe there was still something between them.

She shook her head, trying to clear her head. Maybe she was just overreacting. Logan could have just invited her to be nice; that seemed like something he would do. Who knew if the feelings were mutual? Maybe she was just chasing after a relationship that wasn't meant to be. But deep down, she had the feeling that that wasn't true. She would just have to wait and see. Smiling to herself, Camille made her way down the hall to her room. She was going to get ready for what she hoped would be a great night.

* * *

**Eh. I wasn't particularly fond of this. But I'm not really fond of any romance. -dead- And just so you know, I'm not going to do anything more an Logan and Camille's relationship. I'll leave you guys to decide what happens to them. Nollaig chridheil agus Bliadhna mhath ùr! (****Gaelic)**


	12. Merry Christmas!

**Okay, last chapter. As much as I hate to say this (because I love Christmas sososo much) I'm kind of ready for this to be over. Okay, really ready. But it still makes me sad to see that this is over. I love you all. :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

* * *

Kendall, James, Carlos, and Logan stared around at the apartment, nodding their heads in approval as the observed the transformation. When Carlos and James had become the Hollywood Super Party Kings of Hollywood they thought that they had done it all, gone all out, and that they couldn't possibly ever top it. Now, looking around at everything they had set up in the last few hours, they knew that they were completely wrong. This party was going to kill.

It looked like a Christmas bomb had gone and blown up inside of 2J. Carlos had decorated the swirly slide, wrapped the plastic in red, green, and gold tinsel, making it sparkle every time the light glinted off of it. Logan and James had worked together to wire the sound system and lights so they gave off continuous holiday music and green and red lights. Kendall had just finished setting out food and beverages, and since the Knights had already put up the rest of the decorations earlier during the week, that was all they really all they had to do to set up. Now all that was left was for them to wait.

As if on cue, there was a sudden knock on the door. All four of them jumped up and ran for it, throwing the door open to let a huge crowd of people in. They had invited all of their friends from the Palm Woods: Camille, Jo, Tyler, Guitar Dude, the Jennifers, The Simms Twins, Lightning the Wonder Dog, and all of the others. And since it was Christmas, Mr. Bitters had even agreed to let them have a real party, instead of forcing them to call it a social gathering. Things were shaping up to be a really good night. And it was only the beginning.

The kids of the Palm Woods piled through the door, slapping the boys on the back with greetings of "Merry Christmas!" and "Happy holidays, you guys!" There was a happy smile on everyone's face, and they all looked like they were more than ready to get the party started. The boys didn't disappoint, and soon the party was in full swing, with people everywhere there was room.

James and Carlos immediately headed for the dance floor, where Gustavo was standing awkwardly as teens danced around him. Kendall headed over to where Jo was waiting near the standing near the punch bowl, smiling at him happily. Logan stood watching everything, then decided to mingle, moving through the crowd. Everything was going perfectly, and Christmas was in the air.

The boys looked up as some of the people near the window suddenly gasped. The music stopped, and everyone looked to where Tyler was pointing. "Look everybody! It's _snowing_!" Everyone crowded around the window, pointing and murmuring in amazement. Snow? In Los Angeles? Such a thing was unheard of.

Kendall, James, Carlos, and Logan looked at each other, eyes wide as they began pushing their way towards the window. Kendall opened it and they all held their hands out. Maybe it was just fake snow, like the kind they'd found at the mall. A bitterly cold wind hit their palms, but when the first snowflake hit Carlos' hand, there was no mistaking it. They had grown up with the damp, cold feeling of it back in Minnesota. It was one of those things that once you'd experienced it, you never forgot it. This was the real deal; this was snow.

"Everyone outside!" someone called from back in the crowd. There was a ton of pushing and shoving as people started to run for the door, everyone desperate to get outside and figure out what was going on. The boys followed them out, just as curious, if not more so.

Kids of all ages ran out of the apartment, most of them ignoring the elevator and heading straight for the stairs. They all stumbled into the lobby, gasping and holding out their hands to feel the snow. As they did so, everyone's eyes were on the sky. It was a cloudy night, and the snow was definitely falling from somewhere that none of them could see. Logan turned to his friends, a puzzled look on his face. "Maybe it's just Buddha Bob with his ice machine again?" As if to prove him wrong, the Palm Woods maintenance man appeared in the doorway to the lobby, looking up at the sky with an amazed look on his face.

There was a shout from somewhere deeper in the crowd, and suddenly everyone was pointing up. "Look!" The boys jerked their gazes to where they were pointing, squinting. Their eyes widened when they saw what everyone was looking at. There was a dark figure standing on the roof, looking out over the city of L.A. There was a bunch of murmuring as everyone watched, waiting to see what would happen next. The figure shifted and looked down, waiving cheerfully. Everyone froze as a sound drifted down all the way from the roof, heard by every ear. "Ho, ho, ho!" And then suddenly the figure was gone, and the snow stopped falling.

There was complete silence as everyone stared at the spot where the man had been, everyone trying to process what had just happened. Carlos was the first to move. "WHOO!" The attention turned to him, and he grinned at everyone excitedly. "Well, obviously that was Santa Clause. How _awesome _is that?" A few people laughed, but everyone looked perfectly content listening to Carlos go on and on about how maybe Santa really was real and how he'd just visited _them, _the kids of the Palm Woods.

The rising stars began to make their way back towards the lobby, ready to get back to the party in 2J. As they all piled through the door, a deep, cheerful voice could be heard off in the distance. "Merry Christmas!"

* * *

**Um… Wow. That was probably the stupidest ending in the entire history of endings. Wow. Anyway, a big thank you to all you guys who have supported me all along the way (you know who you are) and I hope to see you all when I make a reappearance with all my angst. Because I don't think I'll ever be able to do this much happy fluff ever again. Ever. But anyway, I love you guys. I'll post Road to Nowhere soon, but probably not till after Christmas, because, well. It's Christmas. No need to make you sad before then. :) Merry Christmas and happy holidays! **


End file.
